Friends From The Other Side
by SlytherNoir
Summary: Hawkmoth, The Facilier. What could possibly go wrong about visiting a street magician in Paris? Specially with such a ridiculous name. Well, if you insist to know...


"Hawkmoth, the Facilier?"

It was a strange name for a street magician. What would he do, use butterflies to see the future? Nonetheless, it seemed exquisite enough to capture Nino's attention. He had just arrived from Morocco, with a mission and no money, and he had to do his best to accomplish it. But the temptations of the city…

He entered the tent, the fabric making weird noises as he unfolded them to open his passage. A shiver went down his spine as he walked into the poorly illuminated place. Skulls of varying sizes filled the walls and ground, surrounded by weirdly shaped objects in contesting shades of purple and dark violet. The atmosphere was tense, and the only font of light was a collection of black candles disposed around a moth shaped sanctuary. The place was terrifying. But for Nino, it only brought a provocative smile on the corners of his mouth. The adrenaline he felt was enough to keep him in there, even if he was completely alone.

Looking around, he noticed a pile of purple and black silk pillows, that made a muffled shrieking noise as he threw himself in them, continuing to appreciate the ambient. It caused him shivers, yes, but that was the fun of it.

"And what brings such a fine gentleman like you to my humble lair tonight, my fine sir?" smirked a high-pitched, sarcastic voice behind him. He could feel long, skinny fingers closing over his shoulders as he turned around, shocked but enthusiastic by the whole situation.

"Well, hello there! You, must be The Facilier!" smiled Nino, trying to get a grasp on the looks of his new company. But as he turned his head, the skinny figure just moved around, his hands moving around the teenager's shoulders and his face always hid by the strong shadows who filled an convered the entirety of the room.

As the man moved himself around Nino, the shadows seemed to flicker and follow his movements, breaking each and every rule the pale lights of the candles were supposed to inflict on them. The room went darker and darker as The Facilier stood himself in front of the boy, his fast and agile movements reminding those of a slippery snake, swimming fast in the swift course of an African river.

"Yes, my dear, I, am Hawkmoth, The Facilier. And I can help all your dreams come true… For a price, of course." he grinned, his flashy white teeth shining in the dark. The fire that burnt the candles suddenly darkened around, as an ominous music started playing from sources unknown, shades of lime green and purple marking the blurred contours of the shadows on the wall.

Suddenly, a loud noise made itself heard, echoing through the tent, as the heavily ornamented cane in the magicians hand hit the ground. A light green spotlight surrounded Hawkmoth, revealing his masked face for the first time: a purple butterfly shape covered his eyes, with impressions and markings resembling a human skull; his eyes were still covered by a void black top hat with a purple strap across it, combining with his old, yet well aligned smoking. And as the mysterious music grew louder around them, Hawkmoth started moving across the floor, marking the beats of the music with neatly paced steps and cane hittings on the floor.

 _Don't you disrespect me little man_

 _Don't you derogate or deride_

 _You're in my world now, not your world_

 _And I got friends on the other side_

 _(He's got friends on the other side)_

His voice filled the whole room, invading the spaces and perfectly accompanied by his extravagant maneuvers, that his shadow insistently refused to follow.

 _That's and echo gentleman_

 _Just a little something we have here in Paris_

 _A little parlor trick, don't worry_

As he moved around, Nino's eyes followed the tall figure with enthusiasm, delighted by the sight of the presentation. His smile grew wider as The Facilier stood out once again, impressively recovering from his circles to a well composed posture, and started extending his hands around, the flickering lights throwing strange shadows that made him look larger than he could ever be.

 _Sit down at my table, put your mind at ease_

 _If you relax it will enable me to do anything I please_

 _I can read your future, I can change it 'round some too_

 _I look deep into your heart and soul_

Nino looked around in amusement, as the little skulls all over the walls started singing along, making a choir of high-pitched voices chanting, "He's got friends on the other side!" all over and over again.

 _I got akumas, I got voodoo_

 _I got things I didn't even try_

 _And I got friends on the other side_

 _(He's got friends on the other side)_

His hands moved around as he made a cascade of cards flow from his sleeve, falling across the teen's head and all around him, dancing though the air as they fell. His hand flickered fats in the air as he took one of those cards, and with a quick gesture, it quickly turned into a whole deck, that he quickly threw in the table holding the multitude of ominous candles.

 _The cards, the cards, the cards will tell_

 _The past, the present and the future as well_

 _The cards, the cards, just take three_

 _Take a little trip into your future with me_

The voices suddenly stopped, the dark jazz slowly substituted by an oppressive tone, almost indistinguishable, that made the atmosphere denser as the notes got heavier. As the magician adjusted the cards, opening the deck with their backs visible, Nino could feel an itch on his hand, that made him reach out and pick three of the plastic pieces.

As soon as he touched the chosen cards, Hawkmoth cleared his table, throwing the remaining rectangles out on the floor. The cars were also rapidly stolen form Nino's hand, and disposed neatly across the table, only to be turned around one by one by the magician.

The first was of vastly riches, and The Facilier's eyes shone immediately as he saw it, the images moving to show Nino's silhouette surrounded by parties and bon-vivance. His grin went wider across his face as he picked the second, slamming it on the table to reveal even more parties, the silhouette now with a ukulele and dancing, but suddenly changing to reveal empty pockets and two faceless figures turning their backs on him - how he was cut out of his inheritance.

 _Now you, young man are from across the sea_

 _You come from two long lines of royalty_

 _I'm a royal myself on my mother's side_

 _Your lifestyle's high but your funds are low_

 _You need to marry a little honey who's daddy got dough_

The despair was obvious in the card's person, and apprehension grew on Nino's eyes as he remembered why he was on the city. Hawkmoth moved once again, holding the corner of the card and staring directly at his victim's eyes, grinning avidly at the tension built.

 _Mom and dad cut you off, huh, playboy?_

 _Now y'all better get hitched but hitching ties you down_

 _You just want to be free, hop from place to place_

 _But freedom takes green_

Slowly, he lifted the card, facing it with interest and studying the card. Nino couldn't help himself, trying desperately to take a look at the feared plastic rectangle.

 _It's the green, it's the green, it's the green you need_

 _And when I look into your future it's the green that I see_

As Hawkmoth lifted his eyes again, piercing his gaze through the teen's, he slowly turned the card, and placed it gently over the table, his darting eyes daring the boy to look at it.

As Nino lowered his vision to the revealed picture, he could see the riches accumulating again, with just a little shake of hands. Something, however, made him shiver at the sight, his smile slowly turned into pursing lips.

 _But in your future the you I see_

 _Is exactly the man you always wanted to be_

 _Shake my hand, come on boy_

 _Won't you shake a poor sinner's hand?_

The sight of the riches and the good life was too tempting, and he could feel the itch to shake Hawkmoth's extended hand. But something was off. He could almost pinpoint it, as if an ancient evil was hiding in the corners of man's grin. Or in his strange shadow that never seemed to follow him, making illusion of claws and sharp teeth. Even the smile of his card-self was unsettling now.

 _Yes, are you ready?_

 _(Are you ready?)_

 _Are you ready?_

But Hawkmoth seemed to notice his hesitation, and quickly turned his smile into an angered impatience, violently reaching over and grabbing the boy's hand, who didn't even had the time to back off.

"Let me go!" he shouted, but it was too late: as Hawkmoth firmly secured his arm between his unbelievably strong fingers, a sharp nail, a true claw, ran though the skin, opening a cut that dripped blood in small drops. Nino screamed once again, trying desperately to pull his arm off, but he couldn't do anything, his blood dripping in tears into an open locket his captor held.

As he closed the locket, finally loosening his grasp on the poor boy's arm, his face once again twisted into a smile, an evil and unsettling smile that captured the malevolence of his figure.

Nino was horrified as he pulled his arm once again, involving the wound with his free hand, and ran off the fastest he could, as soon as he jumped out. But it wasn't enough: the evil he should had avoid had already been done. He could feel his heart tripping in his chest as he ran down the desert alley - was it so desert before? - and his arm pierced more than it should, sending electric shocks through his entire body.

The shadows were weird, closing around him, and voices could be heard all over, but without a proper font, they just seemed to be shouting within his own head. His steps got messier, and soon he was tripping easily, using his hands and arms to hold himself straight to keep running.

As his vision went dark and he felt in the floor, he could hear the ominous voices chanting, screaming across his head and all over the place, the deafening sounds making he scream and cover his ears to try and ignore the repetitive sirens. His eyes closed at the pain and the noise, and his screams only grew louder and louder, making him go crazy in the head.

 _Transformation central_

 _Transformation central_

 _Transformation central_

 _Transformation central_

Then all of a sudden, they all stopped, and the sudden clearness made him open his eyes, confused. Had it finally stopped? And as he opened it, the last thing he saw was a purple butterfly flying directly towards him, towards his open wound, before a sudden glow took him and he blacked out.

 _Transformafication central, can you feel it?_

 _You're changing, you're changing, you're changing alright_

 _I hope you're satisfied, but if you ain't don't blame me_

 _You can blame my friends on the other side_

Hawkmoth walked calmly across the street, following the pace of his little butterfly. He was smiling and humming an upbeat jazz tone, his cane dancing around in his hand. As he got closer to the alley, he saw the little creature, curled up on the ground.

He knelt and bent over, whistling happily. And as he got up again, the little animal made itself visible in his hands: a small green turtle, knocked out by the sudden transformation. He threw it into a bag, his eyes sparkling as his shadow bared its teeth at him, in a simulation of a smile. With a victorious grin, he gazed once again at the butterfly shaped locket, while singing the last words to his song:

 _You got what you wanted_

 _What you want's what you get_

 _Hush_


End file.
